The Prince of Wales' Growing Charity Work in Canada

The Prince of Wales is not only the heir to the throne of Canada, the U.K. and 14 other countries: he is also one of the world's foremost social entrepreneurs.

In a series of exclusive posts with HuffPost U.K., His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales has begun a discussion about his charitable work examining his four key areas of interest including: education and young people, responsible business, the built environment and global sustainability.

While the work of the 16 Prince's Charities in the U.K. is relatively well known, Canadians will be pleased to learn more about the Prince's growing body of charitable work here in Canada, much of it being coordinated through his Canadian charitable office, Prince's Charities Canada (PCC).

This week we explore the Prince's interest in education and young people. The Prince's first charitable initiative was The Prince's Trust. It was created to help disadvantaged youth in 1976, the same year that the Prince attended the Montreal Olympics.

In Canada, one of the most visible examples of the Prince's commitment to young people is The Canadian Youth Business Foundation. Created in 1996, CYBF is the Canadian affiliate of the Prince's Youth Business International and helps young people who are interested in entrepreneurship through a program of mentorship and loan financing.

CYBF is also PCC's operational partner for The Prince's Operation Entrepreneur, a made-in-Canada program that supports transitioning military personnel who want to start their own businesses. Participants in POE are given an intensive week-long educational experience at an entrepreneurial "boot camp" before being handed off to the CYBF for up to two years of mentoring and $45,000 in financing. During the "boot camps," participants are supported by students from Enactus (formerly -- SIFE -- Students in Free Enterprise), who serve as mentors, helping the transitioning personnel with their business plans and supporting them throughout their week on campus.

Another of the Prince's Canadian initiatives involves taking the award-winning Learning through the Arts program to the United Kingdom. A creation of Canada's Royal Conservatory of Music, LTTA uses the performing arts to teach core curriculum such as math and science. Prince's Charities Canada is currently working with The Prince's Foundation for Children and the Arts to roll this highly successful Canadian educational program out in elementary schools across the UK.

His Royal Highness is also patron to many Canadian organizations including The Royal Conservatory. Another patronage, Earth Rangers, taps two of the Prince's interests by educating young people about the importance of biodiversity and preserving animal habitats. Earth Rangers' exciting animal shows are designed to stimulate the inherent wonder that kids have towards nature and inspire them to become involved in its protection.

The Prince's commitment to education stems from his fervent belief that "we all have immense capacity for imagination and innovation." Learning to draw on that potential and awaken it in disadvantaged young people in particular has been a hallmark of his charitable work for almost four decades. The Prince's Seeing is Believing,which engages Canadian CEOs on social issues, has followed this example by focusing on youth employment, urban aboriginal youth and youth mental health as the focus for their community visit days.

Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge meets with 6-year-old Diamond Marshall as she arrives with Prince William at Calgary International Airport in Calgary on July 7, 2011. The Make-a-Wish Foundation arranged for Marshall, a cancer patient, to greet the royal couple.

Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge is presented with flowers and a hug by 6-year-old Diamond Marshall on arrival with Prince William at Calgary International Airport in Calgary on July 7, 2011. The Make-a-Wish Foundation arranged for Marshall, a cancer patient, to greet the royal couple.

Darren Pearty gives Prince William a big hug during a January 2010 visit to the Eresby School in England.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge receives flowers as she arrives at Naomi House hospice and receives flowers from hospice patient Sally Evans,8, in Sutton Scotney, Winchester on April 29, 2013.

WINCHESTER, ENGLAND - APRIL 29: Catherine, The Duchess Of Cambridge meets children and staff during a visit to Naomi House Children's Hospice on April 29, 2013 near Winchester, Hampshire, England.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (L) meets children and staff at the hydrotherapy pool during a visit to Naomi House hospice in Sutton Scotney, Winchester on April 29, 2013. Naomi House provides support to children with life-limiting conditions and their families. The Duchess toured the facilities, and met children and their families, as well as staff, volunteers and supporters of the charity.

Britain's Prince William (L) meets patient Ellis Andrews as he and his wife Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, (not pictured) open a children's cancer unit at the Royal Marsden Hospital in Sutton, in south-east England, on September 29, 2011.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge meets a child during a visit to Naomi House hospice in Sutton Scotney, Winchester on April 29, 2013. Naomi House provides support to children with life-limiting conditions and their families. The Duchess toured the facilities, and met children and their families, as well as staff, volunteers and supporters of the charity.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge meets children during a visit to Naomi House hospice in Sutton Scotney, Winchester on April 29, 2013. Naomi House provides support to children with life-limiting conditions and their families. The Duchess toured the facilities, and met children and their families.

The Duke of Cambridge, Prince William (R) meets a young child during his visit Tedworth House to officially open the charity's Tedworth House recovery centre on May 20, 2013 in Tidworth, England. During their visit the two Royal Princes met with wounded veterans, serving personnel, and their families. Tedworth House in Wiltshire is one of four new units in England which will offer respite care and rehabilitation to injured and sick service personnel, veterans and their families.

Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (L), receives a book titles 'What Do Princesses Do' from nursery children during her visit to The Willows Primary School, Wythenshawe, Manchester, northwest England on April 23, 2013 to launch a new school counselling programme. The duchess of Cambridge met staff and volunteers, teachers and parents at the school as she launched the programme, which is a partnership between the Royal Foundation, Comic Relief, Place2Be and Action on Addiction.

Catherine, Countess of Strathearn is shown a doll of herself by Dayna Miller which she got as a Christmas present as she stops to talk to some school children during a visit to Dumfries House on March 05, 2013 in Ayrshire, Scotland. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge braved the bitter cold to attend the opening of an outdoor centre in Scotland today. The couple joined the Prince of Wales at Dumfries House in Ayrshire where Charles has led a regeneration project since 2007. Hundreds of locals and 600 members of youth groups including the Girl Guides and Scouts turned out for the official opening of the Tamar Manoukin Outdoor Centre.

HRH Prince William talks to school chldren as he attends a community BBQ on March 21, 2011 in Murrabit, Australia. His Royal Highness is in Victoria to visit towns affected by recent flooding in the State. This is his final day of a three-day tour of Australia to visit regions devastated by floods and Hurricane Yasi. His trip to Australia followed a two day visit to New Zealand where he attended a national Christchurch Earthquake memorial service and visited families who lost loved ones at the Pike River Mine in Greymouth.

Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (R) talks with Artful crew members and their families during a visit to the Astute-class Submarine Building at BAE Systems in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, northern England, on April 5, 2013. The Duke of Cambridge is Commodore-in-Chief of the Royal Navy Submarine Service and during their visit they toured the offices of Vanguard replacement programme and meet with the crew of Artful and their families, who are now based in Barrow.

Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, speaks to children as she visit the offices of Child Bereavement, in Saunderton, Buckinghamshire, on March 19, 2013.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (R) offers assistance in firelighting during a visit to the Great Tower Scout camp at Newby Bridge in Cumbria on March 22, 2013. The Duchess braved snowy conditions to pay a visit to the scout camp.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (R) meets three-year-old Isobelle Laursen during a visit to Peaks Lane fire station in Grimsby, northern England on March 5, 2013. The Duchess of Cambridge is on an official visit to Grimsby during which she visited the National Fishing Heritage Centre and will meet with unemployed teenagers.

Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge speaks to children during a visit to the Havelock Academy in Grimsby, northeast England, on March 5, 2013. The Duchess of Cambridge is on an official visit to Grimsby during which she visited the National Fishing Heritage Centre, the Peaks Lane Fire Station and the Havelock Academy.

Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, stops to chat with children as she leaves Hope House charity in south London on February 19, 2013. The Duchess visited Hope House, an all-female rehabilitation centre which is is one of the projects run by her patronage, Action on Addiction.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge meets children working on projects as she visits Manor School as she pays an official visit to Cambridge with Prince William, Duke of Cambridge on November 28, 2012 in Cambridge, United Kingdom.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge laughs as she receives flowers from two-year-old Lola Mackay - who refused to let go of them - during a visit to the CRI Stockton Recovery Service on October 10, 2012 in Stockton-On-Tees, England.

Britain's Prince William (L) speaks to students as he visits the Nauti Primary School, the main government primary school in Tuvalu during a visit with his wife Catherine in Funafuti on September 18, 2012. Nearly half the population of 10,500 turned out to greet the future king and his wife, a day after their lawyers lodged a criminal complaint in Paris against a French magazine that published photos of Catherine sunbathing topless.

Britain's Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge talks to a girl at the renovated Commonwealth Street in central Honiara on September 17, 2012. Britain's Prince William and wife Catherine are on a nine-day tour marking Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee, and have already visited Singapore and Malaysia before arriving in the Solomon Islands.

Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge (R) is presented with a small canoe by two local children during a visit to the Commonwealth Youth Programme in Honiara on September 17, 2012. Britain's Prince William and wife Catherine are on a nine-day tour marking Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee, and have already visited Singapore and Malaysia before arriving in the Solomon Islands.

Britain's Prince William (L) chatting to some pre-school students in the sandpit as they build sandcastles during his visit to Funafuti with wife Catherine on September 18, 2012. Nearly half the population of 10,500 turned out to greet the future king and his wife, a day after their lawyers lodged a criminal complaint in Paris against a French magazine that published photos of Catherine sunbathing topless.

Britain's Prince William plays football with children from St Aidan's Primary School in Blackburn, north west England, on May 09, 2008. As patron of the English Football Association, (FA) the prince was visiting the school to see children taking part in the FA Skills Programme.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge sits with a child during a visit to The Rainbow Centre, a children's learning centre, on day 2 of the Diamond Jubilee Tour of the Far East on September 12, 2012 in Singapore. Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge are on a Diamond Jubilee Tour of the Far East taking in Singapore, Malaysia, the Solomon Islands and the tiny Pacific Island of Tuvalu.

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge pose with children as they visit The Rainbow Centre on day 2 of the Diamond Jubilee Tour of the Far East on September 12, 2012 in Singapore. Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge are on a Diamond Jubilee Tour of the Far East taking in Singapore, Malaysia, the Solomon Islands and the tiny Pacific Island of Tuvalu.

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge talks with a child painting a picture during a tour of the Inner City Arts campus on July 10, 2011 in the Skid Row section of Los Angeles, California. Prince William and his wife Catherine are on a royal visit to California from July 8 to July 10.

SINGAPORE - SEPTEMBER 12: Prince William, Duke of Cambridge (L) and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (R) pose with four-year-old Maeve Low as they tour the Rolls-Royce Seletar Campus during the Diamond Jubilee tour at Seletar Aerospace Park on September 12, 2012 in Singapore. (Photo by Danny Lawson - Pool/Getty Images)

Catherine (R), the Duchess of Cambridge, receives flowers from a girl during her visit to Strathmore Green, a precinct in Queenstown, a residential district of Singapore on September 12, 2012. Britain's Prince William and his wife Catherine arrived in Singapore on September 11 to kick off a nine-day Southeast Asian and Pacific tour marking Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee.

Britain's Prince William (C) plays football with children from St Aidan's Primary School in Blackburn, north west England, on May 09, 2008. As patron of the English Football Association, (FA) the prince was visiting the school to see children taking part in the FA Skills Programme.

Prince William takes part in a Skill Force team building exercise with pupils from central London schools at the Tower of London on July 6, 2009 in London, England. Prince William is patron of the charity Skill Force that inspires young children to aim higher and prevent them getting left behind in education.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, takes part in a campfire with children as she visits the 'Expanding Horizons' Primary school camp at Margaret MacMillan house in Wrotham, Kent, on June 17, 2012.

Britain's Prince William (L) speaks to school children taking a painting class during a tour of the Whitechapel Gallery in London, on May 11, 2009. The Gallery has premiered international artists such as Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo, Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko and Nan Goldin, and provided a showcase for Britain's most significant artists from Gilbert & George to Lucian Freud, Peter Doig to Mark Wallinger.

Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, receives flowers from local boy Brendon Morris during a visit to Nottingham, central England, on June 13, 2012 with Britain's Queen Elizabeth II. The Queen, accompanied by Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attended several engagemnets during a visit to the city as the Queen continued her diamond jubilee tour without the Duke of Edinburgh who was convalescing following a bladder infection.

Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge (R) speaks with young girls as she presents shamrocks to members of the 1st Battalion Irish Guards at the St Patrick's Day Parade on March 17, 2012 at Mons Barracks, in Aldershot. Four-hundred fifty soldiers were on parade, accompanied by the regimental mascot Conmeal, an Irish wolfhound who received his own sprig of shamrock from the Duchess. This was her first solo military engagement and she will now inherit a tradition begun in 1901 by Queen Alexandra and more recently carried out for 32 years by the Queen Mother. Prince William is honorary Colonel of the Irish Guards.

Prince Harry and Prince William put gloves on a young boy during a visit to a child education centre on June 17, 2010 in Semonkong, Lesotho. The two Princes are on a joint trip to Africa which takes in Botswana, Lesotho and finally South Africa. During that time they will visit a number of projects supported by their respective charities Sentebale (Prince Harry) and Tusk Trust (Prince William). The trip will culminate with the brothers watching the England vs Algeria World Cup match in Cape Town.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge chats to children about their artwork during a visit to the Dulwich Picture Gallery on March 15, 2012 in Dulwich, south London, Englad. The Duchess of Cambridge joined her parents-in-law Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall on a royal visit to the gallery to celebrate their shared love of the arts and see work done by the Prince's Foundation for Children and the Arts.

SAUNDERTON, ENGLAND - MARCH 19: Patron of Child Bereavement UK, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge with recently bereaved children William Howitt, 8, Geogina Howitt, 6 and Beatrice Howitt, 3, as they visit the offices of Child Bereavement UK on March 19, 2013 in Saunderton, Buckinghamshire.

Prince William takes part in a Skill Force team building exercise with pupils from central London schools at the Tower of London on July 6, 2009 in London, England. Prince William is patron of the charity Skill Force that inspires young children to aim higher and prevent them getting left behind in education.